Curling Double Standard?

I read the lengthy statement from Coach Dan Carey after his Team Canada lost to Team Manitoba.  He apologized profusely for his comment to the official and indicated that this behavior was his alone and his team should not be judged by his comment.  It was quite a profuse statement.  I watched that game and I didn't see anything untoward so I had to find out more.  It turned out he had told an official to "shut up". 

Really. 

I am not defending his comment, however, have you heard some of the men's comments while playing?  Last year, I wrote a blog post indicating that I thought Curling Canada should fine Ben Hebert.  He is the worst offender, in my opinion.  I understand a "sh**" or "da**" out of frustration when the rocks don't cooperate.  But, he, and other male players have used the "f" word and have insulted entire events.  We have seen male players display really disappointing behavior.  Yet, my blog post was not well received, to say the least.  People called the male players "passionate" and said that I didn't understand curling.  The comments I got on this and another blog entry on a similar vein indicated to me that male curlers were off-limits when it came to critique. 

Have you seen some of the comments directed to female curlers?  Not only about their game but about them personally?  The women are expected to be perfect on and off the ice and they are expected to be super-models.  If they play too often, they are accused of spending too much time away from their family.  That is never said about male curlers.  It seems to be a real double standard. 

Chelsea Carey and I have three things in common.  We both love curling.  (She was brave enough to pursue her dream of making a living out of curling and I was not.)  We both are daddy's girls.  Chelsea developed her love for curling by coming to watch her dad where she learned how to order food in the restaurant and charge to her father's tab.  Well, I accomplished that twenty years earlier.  Fries and gravy and icy squares were what I charged to my father's tab. 

I want to inspire that same love of curling with my grandson.  I want to watch with him and have him grow up knowing what an amazing sport curling is and that it is really the "gentlemen's game".  However, I don't want him to see some the behavior and comments of some of the male players.  As it stands right now, unfortunately, many men's events need a PG13 warning and there is some language that I don't want my grandson to learn, especially watching curling. 

I think the curling community needs to look at this and realize there is a double standard and this needs to be addressed.  Curling Canada obviously has to show leadership in this regard and needs to start fining curling that, while knowing they are using microphones, are using language that is not appropriate. 

Regardless, thanks Dan Carey for showing class in issuing an apology.